HEFEI, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Within three and a half hours on Friday morning, Xue Yang, a 41-year-old psychologist, had comforted and assisted 14 people suffering from mental issues because of the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.
Xue is a member of a psychological crisis intervention panel in east China's Anhui Province, which was set up on Wednesday to offer counseling and comfort to those who are mentally affected by the epidemic.
Consisting of 73 psychologists and psychiatrists, the panel has launched two 24-hour hotlines for people including suspected or confirmed patients, family members of patients, and even stressed medical staff who have been fighting the epidemic on the frontlines, according to the provincial health commission.
"Good morning! What can I do for you?" Xue asked on the phone.
"I haven't slept in about three days. There is a suspected case of the novel coronavirus in my neighborhood. I'm so scared," said a 45-year-old male from Hefei, capital of Anhui.
The man does not show any coronavirus-related symptoms, but he prefers to lie in bed and rest even in the daytime.
After listening to the caller patiently, Xue advised him to get out of bed in the daytime and do some exercise at home.
"You're alright. You can't fall asleep because you're not tired. Why don't you try something else to distract your attention from worrying about the disease," said Xue, who ended the 14-minute-long conversation by offering more suggestions.
"If it still doesn't help, you may consider using some sleeping pills," she added.
Among all the phone calls Xue has received, the most common question is that people suspect they may be infected by the epidemic after taking public transport or being around someone with a cough.
"Some also called to tell us there were no facial masks available in the pharmacies," she said. Psychological counselors in the panel like Xue are required to take a note of each phone call and report them to local authorities every day so that the local government can respond properly.
It is quite normal to feel anxious when there is a public health crisis. The problem will become increasingly obvious as time goes by amid this epidemic outbreak. Therefore, it is time for psychological experts to step in at the moment, according to Liu Yong, a psychiatrist at Anhui Mental Health Center, where most members of the psychological crisis intervention panel come from.
"We have received more than 230 phone calls in just two days in the province, asking questions or seeking help related to the epidemic," said Liu, adding that the number is growing fast.
Besides offering assistance to the public, the psychological counseling team takes care of medical workers as well, especially those working on the frontlines.
"Some medical workers have shown signs of anxiety after working at the hospital for a long time," Liu said. "Psychological training and self-help materials have been sent to relevant hospitals at their request, including videos and cartoons."
By the end of Sunday, a total of 361 people had died of the disease and 17,205 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
"It's important to strengthen the prevention and control of the virus at the moment. But it's equally important to care about the mental health of the public and popularize knowledge about the disease," said Wang Yunfei, an associate professor of sociology at Anhui University.
